Readout control means for signal-operated typewriter



Aug. 30, 1960 F. A. MORRIS 2,950,801

READOUT CONTROL MEANS FOR SIGNAL-OPERATED TYPEWRITER original FiledApril 13, 195s 15 sheets-snaai 1 BY c arfr/p ATTORNEY READOUT CONTROLMEANS FOR SIGNAL-OPERATED TYPEWRITER 15 Sheets--Sheei'l 2 Original FiledApril 13, 1953 STEPPING SWITCH ...'.I'I'I'I'I' 0 OQDO ooo ooo

FIG.2

Aug. 30, 1960 .F A, MORRIS 2,950,801

READOUT CONTROL MEANS FOR SIGNAL-OPERATEID TYPEWRITER original FiledApril 13, 195s 1s sheets-sheet s o 62lo\ oooo I A f FIG. 3

VAug. 30, 1960 F. A. MORRIS 2,950,801

READOUT CONTROL MEANS FOR SIGNAL-OPERATED TYPEWRITER F. A. MORRIS Aug.30, 1960 REAOOUT CONTROL MEANS FOR SIGNAL-OPERATED TYPEWRITER 15Sheets-Shet 5 a o o o o .1

MOTOR MAGNET A. A/A/w FiG. 5

Aug. 30, 1960 F. A. MORRIS Y 2,950,801

READOUT CONTROL MEANS FOR SIGNAL-OPERATED TYPEWRITER Original FiledApril 15, 1953 l15 Sheets-Sheet 6 DEcoD/NG RELAY CIRCUIT-7000 l B+ (B+)(B+) im* 1mm? wir Tr- FIG. 6

F. A. MORRIS- READOUT CONTROL MEANS FOR SIGNAL-OPERATED TYFEWRITER x 15Sheets-Sheet 7 FIG. 7

Aug. 30, 1960 Original Filed April 15. 1953 F. A. MORRIS' Aug. 30, 1960I i READOUT CONTROL MEANS FOR SIGNAL-PERATED TYPEWRITR original FiledApril 15, 195s -1S sheets-sheet e FIG. 8.

F. A. MORRIS Aug. 3o, 1960 l ADOUT CONTROL MEANS FOR SIGNAL-OPERATEDTYPEWRITER Original Filed April 13. 1953 15 Sheets-She'et 9 0 j swlTcHliT. PREPARE-T0 READ (-)Zu-D- PREPARE- TO READ FIG. 9

Aug. 30, 1960 F, A, MORRIS. v 2,950,801

READOUT CONTROL MEANS FOR SIGNAL-OPERATED TYPEwRITx-:R

Original Filed April l5, 1953 y 15 Sheets-Sheet lO INTERNAL PRINTER Fm.,F16. F16. Vc0NTR0L c1Rcu1T 2 6V F10'. F10. F10. :7110 7180 3 7 IO FIG..F10. F10.

/mo 4 a 11 JWM- YIGO CLUTCH CAM 7/70 fm 7l90 FIG. IO

Aug. 30, 1960 F A. MORRlS 2,950,801

READOUT coNTRoL MEANS FOR SIGNAL-@Psaum TYPEWRITER original Filed April13, 195s 15 sheets-sheet 11 FIG. Il

Aug. 30, 1960 F. A. MORRIS' Y 2,950,801 I REAOOUT CONTROL MEANS FORsIGNAL-OPERATD TYPEWRITER original' Filed April 13, 1953 415sheets-sheet 12 :9 ouml' u 0 Call' N /lz zn es Direc org lmber Aug. 30',1960 F. A. MORRIS 2,950,801

READOUT CONTROL MEANS FOR SIGNAL-OPERATED TYPEWRITER Original FiledApril 13, 1953 15 Sheets-Sheet 13 -f 6910 r 920 -r 6930 6 'l 'f Q72@ lll0 +6730 Aug. 30, 1960 F. A. MORRIS READOUT CONTROL MEANS FORSIGNAL-OPERATED TYPEWRITER Original Filed April l5, 1953 15 Sheets-Sheet14 019/6. C191 l /VG Cf? Colpi CR NUMBER Alf-J I l i* 001010000 Ooo@ o0|; o ol lol }l Orl OM Q l l 0 ll Il ll 5 e 75 s lo Uni2 13/4 15u/G1751,@ 19. zo'zz'zz Stepping Pasizzorz. l

FIG. :5

Aug. 30, 1960 F. A. MORRIS READOUT CONTROL MEANS FOR SIGNAL-OPERATEDTYPEWRITER original Filed April 15, 1955 15 sheets-sheet 15 H m O m .I 0l il Il l c o IO l llll R I. O l a |l|.|||l|. o o .Illob O o O10lmwllllw. m l@ l I Oli. o mi O O O Gll 0R Il O l O wup O o o .Q o O o o.o 0 mm O bimlpillpiwlwlbll@ m l l I III O Il R O m limi lllllll ll .H-I|||| l.||| w| Illlo .l l iiil o o y 0 o o o O o o O o m @Ilmlolfllllllll lill ml ,Illlo o I..||l||\ m o! o! o o o o o o o o O llll ImiFIG. I6

United States @attent READOUT CONTROL MEANS FOR SIGNAL- OPERATEDTYPEWRITER Frank A. Morris, Fishers, N.Y., assignor to General DynamicsCorporation, Rochester, N.Y., a corporation of Deiaware Originalapplication Apr. 13, 1953, Ser. No. 348,202,

now Patent No. 2,886,642, dated May 12, 1959. Divided and thisapplication Nov. 7, 1957, Ser. No. 695,031

7 Claims. (Cl. 197-19) This invention, which is a division of copendingpatent application Serial No. 348,202, tiled April 13, 1953, by Morriset al., now Patent No. 2,886,642, relates to improved data readout meansand, more particularly, to steerout means for supplying automatically toa printer in a predetermined sequence each of ya plurality of storedvariable and fixed pieces of data.

In the eld of data processing, it is often desired to produce aplurality of nal printed data records which are identical ywith eachother in format, but differ from each other in the specific infomationrecorded. For instance, in the case of toll ticketing, the rst twoletters of the calling office code rnay be printed as the iirst line ofevery ticket, the calling subscribers directory number may be printed asthe second line thereof, the called office code and called subscribersdirectory number may be printed as the third line thereof, the time ofthe call may be printed as the fourth line thereof, the date of the callmay be printed as the fth line thereof, the elapsed time of the call maybe printed `as the sixth line thereof, and the charge for the call maybe printed as the seventh line thereof. Of course, the specific datacontained in each of these items of information may vary from ticket toticket, but each ticket contains all these items of information printedin the order stated above.

Although the present invention is incorporated as part of the printingcontrol circuit of the toll ticketing system described and shown in theabove-identified patent, it is not limited thereto, but may be employedin any data processing system in which a plurality of iinal records, allhaving the same format, are sequentially produced.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide steerout controlmeans for producing a plurality of different nal records all of whichhave the same predetermined format.

lt is a further object of this invention to provide steerout controlmeans for automatically producing a final record a character at a timein accordance with a predetermined program to obtain a given format.

These and other objects and attendant advantages of the presentinvention will become more apparent from the following detaileddescription taken together with the accompanying drawings in which:

Figs. 1-11, inclusive, are a block and schematic diagram of a tollticketing system incorporating the present invention; i

Fig. l2 shows how Figs. 1-11 are to be joined;

Fig. 13 is a magnetic .tape preliminary record of a typical toll callmade by the toll ticketing system;

Fig. 14 is a table showing the manner in which the operation of theprinting control circuit translates received information to selectivelyoperate a printer to print numerical and alphabetical characters, and

Figs. 15 and 16 illustrate the manner in which the incoming data isapplied to the printer through a stepping switch to obtain thepredetermined format.

The entire toll ticketing system of which the present 2,958,80l PatentedAug. 30, 1950 '2 invention in part is described and shown in detail inthe above-identied patent, and reference should be made thereto for acomplete understanding of the entire toll ticketing system. Only as muchof the toll ticketing system will be described herein as is necessaryfor an understanding of the present invention.

Referring now to Fig. 1, there is shown inblock form some of thecircuits located at an exchange 7, which provide toll ticketingfacilities therefor. For purposes of background, the recording andplayback portions of the toll ticketing system incorporating the presentinvention will be described briefly.

Recording Assume tirs-t that a subscriber of exchange 7 wishes to call asubscriber of distant exchange 8. In this case, the calling subscriberdials 1a rst predetermined access digit which operates call extendingand Verification circuits 1 to extend a connection over conductor 1a toone of a first group of one-way trunk circuits having access to exchange8, such as: one-way `trunk circuit 19. Assume now that the callingsubscriber wishes to dial a subscriber of exchange 9. In this case, hedials a second predetermined access digit which operates call extendingand verification circuits 1 to extend a connection over conductor 1b toone of a second group of one-way trunk circuits having access tdexchange 9, such as one-way trunk circuit 40. As shown, oneaway trunkcircuitt19 has associated therewith trunk recorder 25 which s individualthereto, and one-way trunk circuit 40 has associated therewith trunkrecorder 41 which is individual thereto. ln a like manner, all otherone-.way trunkcircuits of exchange 7, not shown, have individual trunkrecorders associated therewith.

After seizing a one-way trunk circuit having access to the distantexchange of `the called subscriber, the calling subscriber successivelydials leach of the digits of his own directory number, which Iareforwarded over conductor 1n or lb, as the case may be, tothe properone-way trunk circuit. The oneJway trunk circuit forwards the receivedinformation ofthe directory number of the calling subscriber to itsassociated trunk recorder, wvhere it is recorded in a manner describedbelow. Also, the one-Way trunk circuit returns this information to theverification portion of call extending and verification circuits 1 overconductor lc in order to verify the calling subscribers number. Shouldthe verification be successful, the oneway trunk circuit operates topermit switch directing signais t-o be forwarded to the distantexchange.

The calling subscriber then successively dials the digits of the calledsubscribers directory number. In response thereto, the one-way trunkcircuit forwards this information to the distant exchange, Where it isused to direct the operation of the automatic switches of the distantexchange, and lalso forwards this information to its associatedtmnkrecorder, where it is recorded in the manner described below.

-ln response tol an answer supervision signal being received from thedistant oflce -by the one-Way trunk circuit, the recording of elapsed-time of the call is initiated. The recording of elapsed time continuesuntil the end of the conversation when the calling subscriber hangs up.Then, information as vto the time and date of the call, from aclock-calendar circuit, not shown, lis recorded in the associated trunkrecorder. This is followed by the recording of an end-of-call code inthe associated trunk recorder. i Y

If the call is not completed for any reason, i.e., the callingsubscriber hangs up rwithout an answer supervision `signal having beenreceived, an end-of-call code is nevertheless recorded by the associatedtrunk recorder. In this case, however, no information as to elapsed timeor the time and date ofthe call is recorded by the associated trunkrecorder.

Each trunk recorder individually associated with a one-way trunk circuitincludes a two-channel endless magnetic tape. Reference is made to Fig.13, which schematically illustrates the recording of a typical completedcall. By way of example, this call assumes that the directory number fthe calling subscriber is 3456, that the directory number of the calledsubscriber is 6789, that the duration of the call is twenty-six minutes,that the time of the call is 2:17 a.m., and that the date of the call isl une 21.

5In response to each pulse of the lirst dialed calling subscriberdirectory number, a mark pulse is recorded on the right-hand channel ofthe magnetic tape and the magnetic tape is moved` a predetermineddistance by the operation of a ratchet mechanism in the trunk recorder,to thereby provide three mark pulses in response to t-he first digit 3of the calling subscribers directory number, as shown in Fig. 13. Duringthe interdigital time following the dialing of the iirst digit of thecalling subscribers directory number, the one-way trunk circuit operatesto apply a space pulse which is recorded in the left-hand channel of themagnetic tape and the magnetic tape is moved forward a predetermineddistance by the ratchet mechanism, as shown in Fig. 13. In a similarmanner, each of the remaining digits of the calling subscribersdirectory number and each of thedigits of the called subscribersdirectory number are recorded on the magnetic tape followed by a spacepulse, as shown in Fig. 13. Thus, as can be seen from Fig. 13, each ofthe digits of the calling and called subscribers directory numbers isrepresented by a series of mark pulses equal in number to the digitdialed, and successive mark pulse series are separated from each otherby a space pulse.

In response to answer supervision being received, mark pulses arerecorded once each minute during the length of the conversation toprovide, for the call under discussion, a series of twenty-six markpulses. When the calling subscriber hangs up, the one-Way trunk circuitapplies a space pulse to its associated trunk recorder which is recordedand then calls in a clock and calendar circuit, not shown. The clock andcalendar circuit applies seven series of pulses manifesting the time anddate of the call to the magnetic tape, each series being immediatelyfollowed by a space pulse, as shown in Fig. 13. Insofar as the markpulses manifesting time and date only are concerned, each series, exceptthe series manifesting months, includes one more pulse than the numberwhich it designates, i.e., one pulse is used to represent zero, twopulses are used to represent 1, three pulses are used to represent 2,etc.

After the time and date information has been recorded, the one-way trunkcircuit applies an end-of-call code to the magnetic tape, after whichthe tape is moved several times by the ratchet of the trunk recorder soas to separate the call under discussion from the beginning of the nextsubsequent call on the tape. The end-of-call code consists of coincidentmark and space pulses, as shown in Fig. 13.

Thus, it will be seen that in response to each completed call, sixteenseparate items of information, each of which is immediately followed bya space pulse, plus an end-of-call code will be recorded on the magnetictape of a trunk recorder, and that for each uncompleted call eight orfewer items of information plus an end-of-call code will be recorded onthe magnetic tape. Furthermore, since each trunk recorder isindividually associated with a specific one-way trunk circuit which isutilized in extending calls to a single predetermined distant office,the called oliice code of all calls recorded on the magnetic tape of anyone trunk recorder is the same and is known. Also, the calling ofiicecode of exchange 7, from which all toll calls emanate, is the Same andis known.

A discussion of the actual circuits contained in call extending andverification circuits 1 and the one-way trunk circuits, which areutilized in performing the abovedescribed functions in making a magnetictape recording of items of infomation pertaining to toll calls, is beingomitted herein, since these circuits do not form part of the presentinvention. However, they are fully described and shown in theabove-identified patent.

Playback At stated intervals, such as once a day, a routine playback ismade of all trunk recorders except those which may be busy with a callat the time of the routine playback'. This routine playback, which isinitiated automatically by the clock-calendar circuit, not shown, isunder the control of printing control circuit 35 and playback controlcircuit 3h. In response to the initiation of a routine playback cycle,playback control circuit 30 causes a first wiper of sequence switch 30sto move from a home position thereof to a first step position thereofwhich is associated with some one one-way trunk circuit. lf this one-waytrunk circuit is busy, the wipers of switch 30s are immediately moved tothe second step position thereof associated with another oneway trunkcircuit. However, if the first-mentioned one- Way trunk circuit,associated with the first step position of switch 30s, is not busy, aplayback of all the calls recorded on the magnetic tape of the trunkrecorder associated with this one-way trunk circuit is commenced. First,under the control of playback control circuit 30, the magnetic tape isdriven at high speed to a home position, and then, under the control ofprinting control circuit 35, is driven at low speed to effect the pickupof the recorded mark and space pulses, respectively. Each of the pickedup mark pulses is passed through playback control circuit 30 and is thenamplified successively by preamplifier mark circuit 31 and mark pulseclipping amplifier 33. Each picked up space pulse is passed throughplayback control circuit 3ft and is then amplified successively bypreamplilier space circuit 32 and space pulse clipping amplifier 34.

As shown in Fig. l, stepping switch Sits of playback control circuitalso includes a second Wiper which is used in selectively extending aconnection to destination relay circuit 2150 over conductors 8a and 9a,respectively. This second Wiper, as shown, is ganged with the firstwiper used, as described above, in associating each one-Way trunkcircuit and its individual trunk recorder with playback control circuit30. Thus, when one-Way trunk circuit 19 is associated with playbackcontrol circuit 3ft, a connection is extended from playback controlcircuit a't to destination relay circuit 2150 over conductor 8a, andwhen one- Way trunk circuit dit is associated with playback controlcircuit 30, a connection is extended from playback control circuit 5l)to destination relay circuit Z150 over conductor 9a. A marking potentialextended from playback control circuit 3@ over conductor Sa is effectivein selectively operating a first relay in destination relay circuitZ159. This first relay in destination relay circuit 215% is alsooperated when playback control circuit 30 is associated with any otheroneway trunk circuit in the first group which, like oneway trunk circuit19, has access to exchange 8. in a similar manner, the association ofplayback control circuit with one-way trunk circuit 40 and any otherone-way trunk circuit in the second group having access to exchange 9provides a marking potential from playback control circuit 3@ todestination relay circuit 215i) over a conductor such as conductor 9a toselectively effect the operation of a second relay in destination relaycircuit 2150. Destination relay circuit ZriStt provides rate informationto cost computer 39 in accordance with which one of its first and secondrelays is operated in any given case. Furthermore, destination relaycircuit 2150 provides information to the printer as to the alphabeticaldesignation of the called office code, as described more in detailbelow, in accordance with which one of its first and second relays hasbeen operated.

In response to the magnetic tape having ybeen driven to its homeposition under the control of playback control circuit 30, a signal isapplied by playback control circuit 30 to printing control circuit 35,the magnetic tape is temporarily stopped, and further control over thedrive of the magnetic tape is transferred to printing control circuit35. This signal applied from playback control circuit 30 effects theoperation of reset means within printing control circuit 35.

In response to the operation of this reset means, a reset signal isapplied to storage chains 33, steering circuit 37 and cost computer 39.Storage chains 38 include a plurality of decade cold-cathode triodecounting chains only one of which at any given time is enabled to countthe number of mark pulses applied thereto. Steering circuit -37 includesa single cold-cathode triode counting chain and cost computer 39includes a plurality of specialized cold-cathode counting chainsutilized for counting elapsed time and nickles, dimes and dollars ofvbilling charge.

After all the counting chains of storage chains 38, steering circuit 37and cost computer 39 have been reset, steering circuit 37 applies anenabling potential to storage chains 3S which enables only the rstcounting vchain therein to effect a count.

Following this reset operation, printing control circuit 35 causes driveof the magnetic tape to resume and actual playback of the recordedinformation to commence. The first series of mark pulses to be playedback manifests the first digit of the calling subscribers directorynumber of the first call recorded on the magnetic tape. Afteramplification, this first series is applied to storage chains 38,wherein the number of mark pulses therein is counted by the first chain,which is the only chain at this time enabled to effect a count.Following the transmission of the first series of mark pulses, a spacepulse is played back and is applied, after amplification, to steeringcircuit 37 to operate the counting chain of steering circuit 37 toeffect a count thereof. In response to this rst count by the countingchain of steering circuit 37, the first counting chain of storage chains38 is disabled from making any further count, although the count of thefirst series of mark pulses already therein is maintained thereby, andthe second counting chain of storage chains 38 is enabled to effect acount. Thus, when the second series of pulses, manifesting the seconddigit of the calling subscribers directory number of the first callrecorded on the magnetic tape, is applied to storage chains 38, thenumber of pulses therein is counted by the second counting chainthereof. In a similar manner, the number of mark pulses in eachsuccessive series recorded on the magnetic tape will be stored in aseparate counting chain of storage chains 3S.

If the first call recorded on the magnetic tape is incomplete, no morethan eight items of information, manifesting the directory numbers ofthe calling and called subscribers, will be recorded on the magnetictape before an end-of-call code, as previously discussed. In this case,the counting chain of steering circuit 37 will have counted no more thaneight space pulses, since each series of recorded mark pulses isfollowed by a space pulse. Under these conditions, the transmission ofan end-of-call code will cause the operation of a coincidence circuit inprinting control circuit 35. The operation of this coincidence circuiteffects a temporary stoppage of the magnetic tape and a reset of storagechains 38, steering circuit 37 and cost computer 39, in a manner similarto that previously described in connection with the signal applied byplay back control circuit 30 to printing control circuit 35. The storagecircuits are then in condition to commence the playback of the secondcall recorded on the magnetic tape.

Assuming, however, that the first call on the magnetic tape is acompleted call. In this case, instead of an endof-call code, a ninthseries of'mark pulses, manifesting the elapsed time of the rst call,follows the eighth space pulse', which operates a ring-connected ninthcounting chain, manifesting unit minutes of elapsed time, of storagechains 33 and a tenth counting chain, manifesting tens .minutes ofelapsed time, which is coupled to the ninth chain. In addition, inresponse to the eighth space pulse, steering circuit 37 enables thecounting chains of cost computer 39, which were previously disabled.Therefore, the ninth series of mark pulses, manifesting elapsed time, isnot only counted by the ninth and tenth countingchains of storage chains38, but also provides elapsed time information to cost computer 39. Withthis elapsed time information and the rate information provided bydestination :relay circuit 24150, described above, cost computer 39 iscapable of providing an output manifesting the total charge for the callin question. v

Following the playback of the ninth series of mark pulses, a ninth spacepulse is transmitted to and counted by the counting chain of steeringcircuit 37. In response thereto, the eleventh counting chain of steeringchains 38 is enabled and the counting chains of cost computer 39, whichwere enabled in response to -the eighth space pulse, are disabled, sothat the playback of the mark pulse series subsequent to the ninthseries have no effect on c'ost computer 39.

The tenth to thirteenth series of mark pulses, manifesting terminatingtime information of the call, are sequentially stored in the eleventh tofourteenth counting chains, respectively, of storage chains 38, in thesame manner as previously described in connection with the first eightseries of mark pulses.

The fourteenth series of mark pulses, manifesting the month of the call,is stored in a fifteenth ring-connected counting chain and a sixteenthcounting chain coupled thereto of storage chains 38, -representing unitsand tens months, respectively. The fifteenth and sixteenth series ofmark pulses, manifesting date of the call, are stored in seventeenth andeighteenth counting chains of storage chains 3S, respectively.

Immediately following the storage of the sixteenth series of mark pulsesin the eighteenth counting chain of storage chains 3S, the sixteenthspace pulse is applied to and counted by the counting chain of steeringcircuit 37. The receipt of this sixteenth space pulse by steeringcircuit 37 is an indication that all sixteen items of a completed callhave been stored in storage chains 38. Therefore, in response tosteering circuit 37 having counted six-teen space pulses, a callcomplete signal is applied from steering circuit 37 to printing controlcircuit 35. This call complete signal conditions printing controlcircuit 35 to effect the printing of a toll ticket, rather thaneffecting a reset operation, in response to the transmission of anendof-call code. Thus, in response to the playback of the end-of-callcode following the sixteenth space pulse, printing control circuit 35temporarily stops the drive for the magnetic tape, in the same manner asfor `an uncompleted call, but instead of initiating a reset of storagechains 38, steering circuit 3'7 and cost computer 39, as in the caseyyof an uncompleted call, the receipt of an end-o'f-call code, in thecase of a completed call, initiates the printing of a toll ticket.

A discussion of the actual circuits contained in the one-way trunkcircuits, playback control circuit 30, printing control circuit 35,destination relay circuit 2150, preamplifier mark circuit 31,preamplifier space circuit 32, mark pulse clipping amplifier 33, spacepulse clipping amplifier 34, steering circuit 37, storage chains 38, andcost computer 39, which are utilized in performing the abovedescribedfunctions in playing back a magnetic tape, is being omitted herein,since these circuits do not form part of the present invention. However,they are fully described and shown in the above-identified patent.

Readout The means for reading out the information stored in storagechains 38 and cost computer 39, which includes Vthe steerout controlmeans of the present invention, 1s shown schematically in Figs. 2-11,inclusive.

In response to the receipt `of an end-of-call code following the items`of information of a completed call, printing control circuit 35 appliesground to conductors 101 and 102 of cable 100. The application of groundto conductor 101 is etective in operating rst prepare-toread relay 5020through a connection extending from printing control circuit 35,conductor 101, the winding of rst prepare-to-read relay 5020' togrounded battery. In response to the operation of rst prepare-to-readrelay 5020, an energization path is completed for second prepare-to-readrelay 5030, which extends from ground through operated contacts 5022,the Winding of second prepare-to-read relay S630 to grounded battery. Inresponse to the energization thereof, second prepare-toread relay 5030operates.

In addi-tion, the operation of the rst prepare-to-read relay 502)prepares a path for energizing the switch relay 54310 through contacts5021 and the motor magnet 4950 of the stepping switch 5100 throughcontacts 5011 of switch relay 5010 so that the `items of information inthe storage chains 38 and the cost computer 39 may be sequentiallyremoved to operate the decoding Irelay circuit 7000 and the internalprinter control circuit 7100.

At this time, the printing control circuit 35 has completed all of thenecessary operations preparatory to initiating sequential operation ofthe stepping switch S100 to successively transfer the registered itemsof information to the decoding relay circuit '7000 wherein theinformation is translated into the selective operation of one or a groupof control elements in the internal printer control circuit 710i? whichcontrols the operation of a prin-ter. This printer may be of thecommercial type sold under the name of Fiexowriter by the CommercialControls Corporation of Rochester, New York, which includes -an electrictypewriter which may be operated either directly by means of `a normalkeyboard or indirectly by means actuated in response to signals appliedAthereto.

In general, the stepping switch S100 is advanced in a step-bystep mannerunder the control of the motor magnet 4950 which is intermittentlyenergized by the internal printer control circuit '7100. This controlcircuit energizes the motor magnet 4950 at fixed intervals of time tolstep the switch 5100 into engagement with the contacts forming differentstepping positions so that the registered information is sequentiallytransferred to the decoding relay circuit 7000. The decoding relaycircuit 7000 translates the information, which is registered in thestorage chains 38 and the cost computer 39 in a decimal numerical form,into a coded form adapted for controlling the operation of thesignal-actuated means of the printer.

The stepping switch S100 includes a plurality of contact decks 5452i),54:20, 5300, 5820, 5840, 6260, 6220, 6240, 6600, 6620, and 6640, thecontacts of which are engaged by the Wipers 5430, 5450, 5810, 5830,5850, 6210, 6230, 6250, 6610, 6630 and 6650, respectively. The banksSIM-0, 5800, 5820, 5840, 6200, 6220, 62430, 6600, 6620, and 6640 areused for transmitting information to the decoding relay circuit 70Go andare designated as l to 9, inclusive, and 0, The contact bank 5420 isused for control purposes as will be described hereinafter. Each of theAinformation transmitting Contact banks includes l2 contact points orstepping positions in which the first 'of these acts as a home position.Since each of the 42 contact points in each of the contact decks issequentially engaged by its associated wiper, the 42 contact pointsprovide means for transmitting 42 separate items of information to thedecoding relay circuit 7000, and, consequently, to produce 42 differentprinting or control operations by the printer. i

As disclosed in Figs. l5 and 16 of the drawings, all of the Vcontacts ineach of the stepping positions of the switch 5100 are connected to thesame source of information. For instance, in the fifth stepping positionof the switch 5100, the fth contact in each of the pluraiity ofinformation transmitting contact banks is connected to the output anodeof one of the counting tubes forming the rst counting chain of sto-ragechains 38 wherein is registered the rst digit of the calling subscribersdirectory number. More particularly, the fth contact in the firstcontact bank, i.e., bank 5440, is connected to the l manifesting tube ofthis first counting chain and the fifth Contact in the second Contactbank, i.e., bank 5800, is connected to the 2 manifesting tube thereof.In a like manner, the fth contacts in the third, fourth, fifth, sixth,seventh, eighth, ninth and zero Contact banks, are connected to likedesignated manifesting tubes in the first counting chain of storagechains 3S. Therefore, -When the wipers move into engagement with the tencontacts in the fth stepping position of the switch 5600, the output ofall of the counting tubes forming this rst counting chain areinterconnected with the wipers of the stepping switch 5100. Since only asingle tube is energized in any of the storage chains 38 at any giventime, one of the contacts in the tif-th stepping position is grounded sothat ground is applied to the Wiper in engagement therewith for thepurpose of operating a relay in the decoding relay circuit 7000.

Certain of .the contacts in the plurality of contact banks associatedwith the stepping switch 5100 lare not provided with information fromeither the cost computer 39 or the plurality of storage chains 38. Forinstance, -as shown .in Fig. l5 of the drawings, it is desired to inserta carriage return operation of the printer before producing a printedindication of the rst digit of the ldirectory number fof the callingsubscriber. Therefore, the fourth contacts in the second and fourthcontact banks are wired directly -to ground so that ground is applied tothe wipers 5810` andSSSEl. The selective grounding of these two wiperscontrols the decoding relay circuit 7000 and the internal printercontrol circuit '7100` to produce Ia carriage return operation in theprinter.

Other information such as the alphabetical designation of the calledexchange, is coupled to `the stepping switch 5100 by the selectiveoperation of one of the destination relays in destination relay circuit2150, as described hereinabove. 'Ihe operation of either one of thesedestination relays grounds a plurality of conductors and theseconductors extend to contacts in Ithe tenth and eleventh steppingpositions of the switch 5100 (Fig. 15). For instance, if one destinationrelay represents a called exchange which is designated by thealphabetical characters EBJ the tenth contacts in the rst and ninthcontact banks, i.e., contact banks 5440l and 6620, are grounded. In theeleventh stepping position, i.e., fthe eleventh contacts in the irst andsixth contact banks, i.e., banks 5440 and 6220, are grounded. Thesegrounded contacts operate the decoding relay circuit 7000 and theinternal printer control circuit 7100 to operate the printer tolproducethe character E and B when the wipers of the switch 5100 sequentiallyeng-age the contacts forming the tenth and eleventh stepping positions.If the other ldestination relay represents a called exchange which isdesignated by the alphabetical characters PL other contacts Kin thetenth and eleven-th stepping positions are grounded to Ioperate ytheprinter to produce these letters.

In summary, therefore, the stepping switch 5100 together with itsassociated circuitry provides a means for selectively interconnectingthe decoding relay circuit 7000, with the plurality of sources ofinformation pertaining to a single toll call. The stepping switch 5100selectively interconnects the decoding relay circuit 7000 with .the costcomputer 39,v the storage chains 38, the

destination relay circuit 2150, and selectively grounded contacts in:the contact banks of .the stepping switch 5100.

The decoding relay circuit 7000 is interposed between the steppingswitch 5100 and the internal control circuit 7100 of lthe printer. rl`hepurpose of the decoding relay circuit 7000 is to convert the informationregis-tered in the storage chains 38 and the cost computer 39 in adecimal numerical form into the selective operation of one or more of `aplurality of permutation slide operating magnets 7110, 7120, 7130,7.140, 7150, 7160 and 7170 to control the operation of lthe printer. Thedecoding relay circuit 7000 in addition to receiving items ofinformation from the storage chains 38 and the cost computer 39 receivescertain information which is wired into the banks of contacts associatedwith the stepping switch 5100 and also utilizes this information toproduce a selective operation of one `or more of the plurality ofpermutation slide operating magnets in the control circuit 7100.

The decoding relay circuit 7000 decodes this informa- Vtion byselectively operating one or more of the relays comprising this circuitto selectively prepare one or more circuits extending to the magnets7110, 7120, 7130, 714-0, 7150, 7160 and 7170. The decoding relay circuit.also completes -a circuit for extending ground from the printingcontrol circuit 35, through a portion of the internal printer controlcircuit 7100 to the prepared paths for operating the permutation slidemagnets 7110, 7120, 7130, 714-0, 7150, 7160 and 7170.

The decoding relay circuit 7000 includes a plurality of decoding relays6700, 6710, 6720, 6730, 6740, 6900,

V6910, 6920, 6930 and 6940 which are connected to `the Since all of theinformation .stored in the plurality of storage chains 3S and the costcomputer 39' is of a numerical nature, and since each of .thenumerically designated tubes therein is connected to like positionedcontacts in different contact :banks associated with the stepping switch5100, a single decoding relay representative of a particular digit isoperated in response to the movement of its associated wiper intoengagement with a -contact which is connected to a conductive tube inone of the storage chains 38 `or the cost computer 39.

As disclosed in Fig. 14 of the drawings, more than one of the relays inthe decoding circuit 7000 is operated in response to informationrepresentative of .either an alphabetical character or a controloperation. It is possible to operate two of the relays in .the decodingrelay circuit 7000 in response to information representative ofalphabetical characters or control operations inasmuch as thisinformation is not received from one of :the storage chains 33 or thecost computer 33, but is provided by prewiring certain of the contactsassociate-:l with the stepping switch S100 to ground, or by selectivelygrounding those contacts under the control rof the destina- Ytion relaysof `destination relay circuit 2150.

The decoding relay 6700, in operating, closes two pairs of contacts 6701and 6702. The closure of the contacts 6701 connects the ground provided.by the operation of the switch relay 5010 to -a normally closed pair ofcontacts 7201 in the internal printer control circuit 7100. The closureof the contacts 6702 conditions a circuit for applying ground from aclutch contact headset r7250 through' the contacts 6702 .to thepermutation slide operating magnet 7110.

The selective operation of the relays 6710, 6720, 6730, 6740, 6900 and6910 selectively closes a -group of circuit conditioning contacts 6711,6721, 6731, 6741, 6901 `and 69111, .and a plurality of contacts 6712,6722,'6732, 6942, 6902 and 6914, `for operating the slide magnets in thecircuit 7100. The operation of the relay 6920 closes a pair of groundcircuit conditioning contacts 6921 4and a plurality of permutation slidecontrolling contacts 6922 and 62.723. The decoding relay 6930, inoperating, closes a pair of ground circuit conditioning contacts 6931and a plurality of slide magnet operating contacts 6932 and `6933. Thedecoding relay 6940, in operating, closes a single pair of groundcircuit conditioning contacts 6941 and -a plurality of permutation slidemagnet cont-rollin g contacts 6942 and 694-3. Therefore, the opertationof any one of the decoding relays 6700, 6710, 6720, `6730, 6740, 6900land 6910 closes one pair of ground circuit conditioning contacts andone pair of slide magnet opera-ting contacts, whereas t-he operation ofany one of the three decoding relays 6920, 6930 and 6940, in addition toclosing a single pair of ground circuit conditioning contacts, closestwo pairs of contacts completing circuits extending to two permutationslide operating magnets in the control circuit 7100.

Accordingly, the decoding relay circuit 7000 converts informationelectronically manifested in the storage chains 30 and the cost computer39 in the form of a decimal numerical notation into the selectiveconditioning of circuits for simultaneously operating one or more of thepermutation slide operating magnets. Also, this decoding circuittranslates information prewired to the banks I of contacts of thestepping switch 5100 or manifested by contacts selectively groundedunder the control of the destination relays into the selective operationof one or more than one decoding -relay resulting in the operation ofone or more of the permutation slide magnets in the internal printercontrol circuit 7100.

The printer utilized in the toll ticketing facilities is similar toconventional electric typewriters, such as the Flexowriten which may beselectively operated under the control of either a manual keyboard or aplurality of permutation slide controlling magnets. As shown, theprinter is selectively operated under the control of the plurality ofpermutation slide controlling magnets 7110, 7120, 7130, 7140,- 7150,7160 and 7170 to provide a plurality of printed tickets, each of whichincludes among others the items of information pertaining to one tollcall which are selectively registered in the storage chains 3S and thecost computer 39, and thereafter, transmitted through the steppingswitch 5100 and the decoding relay circuit 7000.

The printer includes an internal con-trol circuit 7100 (Figs. l0 and ll)which not only selectively prints. the desired characters under thecontrol of the registered information, but also controls theintermittent movement of the stepping switch 5100 so that theinformation is only transferred to Ithe printer at a speed at which thisprinter is fable to utilize the information to produce a printed record.In general, the printer includes seven permutation slides which areselectively operated under the control of the plurality of permutationslide operating magnets 7110, '7120, 7130, 71110, 7150, 7160 and 7170.These operating magnets are selectively energized under the control ofthe decoding relay circuit 7000 and when energized, release theirrespectively controlled permuta-

